1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connective jack that provides secure electrical connection between a plug and a circuit. More specifically, the present invention relates to a connective jack equipped with a sleeve terminal that forms an elastic electrical connection with a sleeve electrode on a plug.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a sleeve terminal 102 is formed by bending an elastic metal sheet to form a xe2x80x9cC-shapedxe2x80x9d cross section. Sleeve terminal 102 includes a spring piece 104 cantilevered integrally from one edge of a horizontal plate 102a. A contact piece 107 extends from sleeve terminal 102 and spring piece 104.
A conventional jack 100 includes a jack housing 101, plug insertion hole 103, a window hole 105, and a cylindrical sleeve 101a. Conventional jack 100 is formed to receive a plug (not shown) containing a sleeve electrode 201.
During assembly, sleeve terminal 102 is inserted into window hole 105 of jack housing 101 and attached to jack housing 101. In this attached state, a free end of spring piece 104 projects into plug insertion hole 103 and forms elastic electrical contact with a flat side of sleeve electrode 201.
It is to be understood, that contact with sleeve electrode 201 is achieved by having spring piece 104 extend into plug insertion hole 103, as shown.
It is to be further understood, that sleeve electrode 201 of the plug (not shown) serves as a ground electrode for the plug. By having sleeve electrode 201 insulated from and formed co-axially around a chip electrode 202 and a ring electrode 203, impedance matching with a cable (not shown) can be provided and transmission properties for high-frequency signals flowing through chip electrode 202 and ring electrode 203 can be improved.
It is to be understood as desirable to provide impedance matching for conventional jack 100, and that to achieve this it is desirable to have sleeve terminal 102 connecting to sleeve electrode 201 formed as a cylindrical ground terminal surrounding the plug.
Since cylindrical metal sleeve piece 106 is produced separately through cutting or stamping and is attached in cylindrical sleeve 101a of jack housing 101, impedance matching can be difficult, and costs and assembly time increased.
Sleeve piece 106 is attached in cylindrical sleeve 101a and forms an electrical contact with sleeve terminal 102 by pressing against contact piece 107 formed integrally with sleeve terminal 102. When the plug (not shown) is inserted into jack 100, metal sleeve piece 106 acts as a ground terminal surrounding sleeve electrode 201.
In conventional jack 100, described above, metal sleeve piece 106 must be produced separately from the sleeve terminal 102. This separate production increases the total number of parts, requires a more complex structure to connect to sleeve terminal 102, there by raising production costs for jack 100 and increases the risks for impedance mismatching.
It is possible to extend a leg from metal sleeve piece 106 and connect to a ground pattern (not shown), making metal sleeve piece 106 itself serve as sleeve terminal 102. However, it is to be understood, that since sleeve piece 106 is cylindrical, it cannot provide an elastic contact with sleeve electrode 201. This inelasticity may lead to a bad contact between sleeve terminal 102 and the plug (not shown) and is an undesirable quality.
Elastic contact with sleeve electrode 201 is achievable using spring piece 104 of sleeve terminal 102 in jack 100. However, it is to be understood that since there is only one elastic contact position, the reliability of the electrical contact is inadequate for consumer needs.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a jack that improves reliably and contact security while reducing the number of parts, costs, and assembly time.
It is another object of the present invention to provide bounding elastic contact with a sleeve electrode of a plug.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a connective jack that minimizes the negative connective effects of dust and dirt in a connector by employing repetitive three-point elastic connection with a plug.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a connective jack with easy snap-in assembly for a sleeve terminal, a chip terminal, and a ring terminal, thereby shortening assembly time and reducing costs.
It is another object of the present invention to overcome the problems described above and to provide a jack wherein a sleeve electrode is securely and electrically covered without requiring a separate cylindrical metal sleeve piece
Briefly stated, the present invention relates to a connective jack including a sleeve terminal having elastic spring pieces cantilevered inside a housing about a plug insertion hole. The sleeve terminal elastically urges an electrode, on a plug inserted in the plug insertion hole, into stable electrical connection with a circuit. A plate portion of the sleeve terminal includes a first contact projection. A second and third contact projection are on each spring piece. During insertion, the spring pieces elastically urge the electrode into contact with each contact projection, eliminating a separate sleeve piece, and provide stable elastic electrical connection to the plug.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, comprising: means for receiving a plug in a plug insertion hole, means for connecting the plug to a circuit when the plug is inserted, the means for connecting includes means for permitting a three-point electrical connection to an outer surface of an electrode on the external plug, the means for permitting having a shape which elastically urges the outer surface into the three-point electrical connection, and at least one of the means for receiving and the means for permitting having a shape which urges the means for permitting into an elastic snap-fit engagement with the means for receiving and enables the means for permitting to resist movement relative to the means for receiving when the plug is inserted, whereby stable electrical connection between the electrode and the circuit is assured.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a first and a second spring member on the means for permitting, the means for receiving being a housing, the spring members cantilevered inside the housing during the elastic snap-fit engagement, and the spring members extending substantially adjacent the outer surface and coaxial the plug insertion hole for the urging of the outer surface into the three-point electrical connection.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a horizontal plate on the means for permitting, the means for permitting being a sleeve terminal, a position groove on the housing, and the position groove engaging opposite sides of the horizontal plate after the snap-fit engagement and laterally supporting the sleeve terminal relative the plug insertion hole whereby the stable electrical connection is maintained during operation.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a first contact projection on the horizontal plate, a second contact projection on the first spring member, a third contact projection on the second spring member, and the first, the second, and the third contact projections projecting substantially radially inward to the plug insertion hole and permitting the three-point electrical connection to the outer surface of the electrode.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a first and a second engagement projection on the housing, the first and the second engagement projections each having a sloped surface and a second surface, a first and a second side plate on the sleeve terminal orthogonal the horizontal plate and positionable adjacent the housing, a first notch on each the first and the second side plate, and the slope surfaces engaging and urging open each the first and the second side plate when the sleeve terminal is pressed onto the housing and each the second surface providing the snap-fit engagement to each respective the first notch, whereby the sleeve terminal is secured to the housing.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a chip terminal in the means for connecting, a chip terminal holding groove in the housing, the chip terminal in the chip terminal holding groove, at least a first engagement portion of the chip terminal in restrictive contact with the chip terminal holding groove and retaining the chip terminal in the housing, a chip leg member extending from the chip terminal engageable with the circuit, and a chip contact member on the chip terminal having a shape enabling secure elastic electrical connection from a chip electrode portion on the plug to the circuit.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a ring terminal in the means for connecting, a ring terminal holding groove in the housing, an engagement piece on a base portion of the ring terminal, a slip prevention hole on the housing engagable with the engagement piece during an insertion of the ring terminal in the ring terminal holding groove, a ring leg member extending from the ring terminal engagable with the circuit, and a ring contact member on the ring terminal having a shape enabling secure elastic electrical connection from a ring electrode portion of the plug to the circuit.
According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a connective jack assembly, comprising: a housing member, the housing member including a plug hole for receiving a plug, a sleeve terminal on the housing member alignable with a circuit, a first and a second spring piece on the sleeve terminal extendable inside the housing member and coaxial the plug hole for elastically engaging the plug, a first projection on a plate portion of the sleeve terminal, a second projection on the first spring piece opposite the first projection, a third projection the second spring piece opposite the first projection, and the first and the second spring pieces urging a sleeve electrode on the plug into firm contact with the first, the second, and the third projection when the plug is inserted, whereby the plug is urged into stable three-point connection with the sleeve terminal and the circuit.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a horizontal plate on the sleeve terminal, a position groove on the housing member opposite the plug hole, the horizontal plate in the position groove, and the position groove engaging opposite sides of the horizontal plate during an assembly of the first and the second spring piece in the housing member, whereby the position groove laterally supports the sleeve terminal and resists a movement of the sleeve terminal relative to the housing member during the insertion.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, wherein: the position groove includes a window hole, and the first and the second spring piece insertable into the housing member through the window hole during the assembly.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, wherein: at least one of the housing member and the sleeve terminal have a shape which urges the sleeve terminal into a elastic-engagement with the housing member during the assembly whereby the sleeve terminal resists movement of the sleeve terminal relative to the housing member during the insertion of the plug.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a first and a second engagement projection on the housing member, a first and a second side plate on the sleeve terminal opposite the horizontal plate, a notch on each the first and the second side plate positionable opposite the first and the second engagement projection, and the notches engaging a sloped surface on each the first and the second engagement projection during an assembly of the connective jack and engaging a flat surface upon completing the assembly whereby the snapping-engagement fixes the sleeve terminal to the housing member and resists the movement.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a chip terminal, a chip terminal holding groove in the housing member, the chip terminal in the chip terminal holding groove, at least a first engagement claw on the chip terminal in restrictive contact with the chip terminal holding groove, whereby the chip terminal is retained in the housing member, a chip leg member extending from the chip terminal engagable with the circuit, and a chip contact member on the chip terminal having a shape enabling secure elastic connection to a chip electrode of the plug during the insertion, whereby the chip contact member is urged into stable electrical connection with the chip electrode.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a ring terminal, a ring terminal holding groove in the housing member, the ring terminal in the ring terminal holding groove, an engagement piece on a base portion of the ring terminal, the housing member including a slip prevention hole formed for receiving and retaining the engagement piece during an insertion of the ring terminal into the ring terminal holding groove, a ring leg member extending from the ring terminal engagable with the circuit, and a ring contact on the ring terminal having a shape enabling secure elastic connection to a ring electrode of the plug during the insertion, whereby the ring contact is urged into stable electrical connection with the ring electrode.
According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a connective jack, comprising: an insulative housing having a plug insertion hole for receiving a plug during an insertion of the plug, a sleeve terminal on the insulative housing having a shape enabling secure elastic electrical connection to a circuit, a first and a second spring piece on the sleeve terminal extending inside the insulative housing coaxial the insertion hole, the insulative housing having a window hole for receiving the first and the second spring piece during an assembly of the connective jack, and the first and the second spring piece having a shape resiliently urging the plug into stable close contact with the sleeve terminal during the insertion whereby the sleeve terminal enables secure electrical connection from the plug to the circuit.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a first, a second, and a third contact projection, the first and the second contact projection on respective the first and the second spring piece, an attachment plate on the sleeve terminal, the third contact projection on the attachment plate opposite the first and the second contact projection, and the first and the second spring piece elastically urging the plug into three-point contact with the first, the second, and the third contact projection.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided: a connective jack assembly, further comprising: a first and a second side plate on the sleeve terminal opposite the attachment plate, a first and a second notch on respective the first and second side plate, a first and second projection on the insulative housing opposite each respective the first and the second notch, and at least one of the first and the second notch and the first and the second projection having a shape which provides the sleeve terminal with a snapping-engagement to the insulative housing during an assembly of the connective jack.
According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a sleeve terminal for a connective jack, comprising: a metallic side, a first contact on the metallic side, first and second spring pieces depending from the metallic side, third and forth contacts at extremities of the first and second spring pieces, the first and second spring pieces placing urgent inward force on a plug inserted into the connective jack to resiliently capture the plug in three-point resilient contact between the first, second, and third contacts.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.